The collapse of the former Yugoslavia left Montenegro with an economy in tatters, political instability, a worn-out socialist production system, and rampant corruption. After years of little progress on overcoming those obstacles, two local organizations, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (CEED) and the Montenegro Business Alliance (MBA), formed to unite entrepreneurs and give them a voice in the policymaking process. CEED and the MBA, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development and technical assistance from the Center for International Private Enterprise, worked with the business community to strengthen its capacity and advocate for essential economic and democratic reforms. In addition to their tangible successes in the fields of research and analysis, entrepreneurship skills-building, and legal reform, the legacy of CEED and the MBA is the trust that has developed in the Montenegrin business environment. Through the work of these pioneering organizations, Montenegro has made rapid progress towards becoming a free-market democracy.
Published Date: August 01, 2006